


Boys Don't Dance (some do)

by glitterie



Series: the one and only guide to figuring yourself out in a world that wants you dead, or: trans!john wick [1]
Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Autistic, Gen, M/M, Trans Male Character, bi character, discussion of injuries, it's trans autistic john wick because i'm trans and autistic and i like him, pre-transition, really it's gen but there's one kiss, the relationship isn't really there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-11 10:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19108177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitterie/pseuds/glitterie
Summary: iss a trans and autistic john wick because i think canon john wick is autistic and i'm trans. this deals with pre-transition, growing up in the russian mafia as a transgender man.no one has beta'd or edited this; all mistakes are mine.





	Boys Don't Dance (some do)

**Author's Note:**

> iss a trans and autistic john wick because i think canon john wick is autistic and i'm trans. this deals with pre-transition, growing up in the russian mafia as a transgender man.  
> no one has beta'd or edited this; all mistakes are mine.

Dzhona is lacing up her shoes. She pulls the ribbons tight around her ankle; they cut into the familiar bruises. If one comes untied during her performance, there will be hell to pay. Elena laces up her shoes next to Dzhona. Elena ties hers looser, but wraps them more times around her ankles. Dzhona can’t understand how she never ties them the same way. She forgot tie them correctly once, and only realized when she was onstage. The punishment that night after her resulting meltdown had been nearly intolerable.   
Perched against the wall a few feet away from them is Max. He watches Dzhona’s fingers move swiftly and deftly around her calves. Elena is clumsier. Max studies his fingernails, gnaws on the edge of his right middle finger. He trims them every night, so they won't be ragged; the Director hates almost nothing more than perceived uncleanliness. Max removes his finger from his mouth and remarks offhandedly, "You know, sometimes I wish I could dance like the girls. Instead of wrestling. Sometimes it feels like my whole body is one big bruise. And I can't even count how many times I've been called a faggot in the last month."  
"Don't say that!" Elena hisses. Her tone hits somewhere between anger and terror. Dzhona ties a neat bow in her right shoe, carefully making sure the loops and tails are even. She tucks in the ends, then pulls the other shoe toward her.   
Max loves to get a rise out of Elena. He smiles mischievously. "What, faggot? Or—"  
"That too! But don't say you want to dance. You know the Director frowns on that sort of thing. She says it's like crossdressing. Besides, our bodies are built different. Men can only do lifts, they can't do pointe. Right, Dzhona?" Elena looks expectantly at Dzhona, who lifts her eyes to meet Elena's gaze, then drops them back to her shoes without saying anything. Elena huffs, "Whatever."   
There's a pregnant pause. The only sound is the creaking of Dzhona's shoes as she yanks on her ribbons. Max stares at his hands and fights the urge to bite his nails. Then Dzhona speaks.  
"You would be surprised how much ballet hurts. Especially at this level." She turns slightly to the right, exposing her left shoulder to Max. Blossoming across her back alongside her tattoo, bisected by her leotard strap, is a yellow purple bruise. "I fell every 20 seconds for an hour straight trying to nail one move. In the same place every time. I've broken ribs. My feet are covered in cuts and bruises. I've pulled off whole toenails. Ballet isn't just… looking pretty. It's pain."  
Max looks rightfully horrified. Elena finishes lacing her left shoe. "Are you almost done?" she asks Dzhona. Dzhona carefully ties the bow on her left foot, tucks in the ends, and grabs onto Elena's forearm to pull herself up.   
"I'll see you after rehearsal, Max," Dzhona says mildly. "Wanna get outside after lights out?" She grins wickedly. "I'll show you more bruises."   
"Okay, Dzhona. But please don't actually show me any bruises."  
"What, you wanna hear about my fractures instead?"  
Elena sighs and shoves Dzhona to the door. "Don't scare him! Let him think he's macho for now." Elena pushes Dzhona out of the room. "Bye, Max!"  
"Bye, Elena, bye, Dzhona." Rusted pipes squeal in the sudden quiet of their dressing room. Almost unconsciously, Max reaches back to rub his shoulder where Dzhona's bruise had been.

**Author's Note:**

> woo! first chapter!  
> i write in bursts so idk when/if another chapter will be up. right now, i plan for a series of trans!john with each story being 1-3 chapters and dealing with a different trans issue.   
> yes i know this chapter is short but i NEED validation.  
> in case of any confusion, in this fic john is going by dzhona. it's pronounced like jonah but with a zh.  
> if you have any questions or wanna chat, i'm @gljtterie on tumblr, instagram, and twitter.


End file.
